Maggie's Place was opened in October 1974 by Teddy & Maggie Whelan. It was the realization of their American dream.

Teddy & Maggie both immigrated from Dublin in 1958. Teddy came over on Aer Lingus's first transatlantic flight and Maggie soon followed on the S.S. America out of Cobh in County Cork. Teddy & Maggie both started out in retail; Teddy as a shoe salesmen and Maggie at Elizabeth Arden. They then worked together in the Irish Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair. Later Teddy moved on to Downey's, a famous theater bar on 8th avenue. Teddy would tell great stories about playing cards after hours at Jason Robard's apartment (with Lauren Bacall yelling at them to go home) and of Peter O'Toole dancing on the bar. At the same time Maggie worked at the Irish Pavilion on 57th St before Tommy Makem owned it.

Maggie's Place is oldest family-owned restaurant & bar in the Midtown area. In 1992, Maggie & Teddy's son Martin took over Maggie's Place, renovated the space and brought in his brother Mark, a Culinary Institute of America alumnus. They have built on their parents American Dream and now own 11 other restaurants throughout Manhattan.